GLASS MELTING PLANT AND METHOD FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF

Abstract

A glass melting plant having a fully electrically heated melt tank and a conditioning channel connected to the melt tank. In order to enable the recovery of wet waste without impairing the glass quality, in addition, a wet waste supply channel is provided, which opens laterally into the conditioning channel, for the melting of wet waste and for supplying the melted wet waste to the glass melt conducted in the conditioning channel. A corresponding method is provided for operating a glass melting plant.

Claims

1. A glass melting plant comprising: a fully electrically heated melt tank, a conditioning channel connected to the melt tank, a wet waste supply channel opening laterally into the conditioning channel and being configured to melt wet waste and to supply the melted wet waste to the glass melt conducted in the conditioning channel, and a supply device located at an end of the wet waste supply channel situated opposite the conditioning channel, the supply device storing the wet waste and supplying it to the wet waste supply channel.

2. The glass melting plant as recited in claim 1, wherein the wet waste supply channel has a flue through which the waste gases that arise in the wet waste supply channel during the melting of the wet waste are supplied to a waste gas cleaning plant.

3. The glass melting plant as recited in claim 1, wherein the wet waste supply channel is sealed in a gas-tight fashion against the surrounding environment and against the conditioning channel.

4. The glass melting plant as recited in claim 1, wherein a skimmer is provided at an end of the wet waste supply channel at the conditioning channel.

5. The glass melting plant as recited in claim 1, wherein the supply device is configured to supply pulverized wet waste to the wet waste supply channel.

6. The glass melting plant as recited in claim 1, wherein the skimmer extends at least 10 mm into the wet waste melt.

7. A method for operating a glass melting plant having a fully electrically heated melt tank and a conditioning channel connected thereto, comprising melting wet waste in a wet waste supply channel, supplying the melted wet waste laterally, through the wet waste supply channel, to a glass melt conducted in the conditioning channel.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, including supplying the waste gases, arising in the wet waste supply channel due to the melting of the wet waste, through a flue to a waste gas cleaning plant.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, including supplying the wet waste, by a supply device, to the wet waste supply channel at an end of the wet waste supply channel situated opposite the conditioning channel.

10. The method according to claim 9, including pulverizing the wet waste prior to introducing it into the wet waste supply channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In the following, the present invention is explained in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments that are shown in the Figures. All described and/or graphically depicted features, in themselves or in any combination, form the subject matter of the present invention, independent of their summarization in the claims or relations of dependency.

[0027] FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a glass melting plant according to the present invention in a view from the side,

[0028] FIG. 2 schematically shows a wet waste supply channel of the glass melting plant according to FIG. 1, in a view from the side,

[0029] FIG. 3 shows the wet waste supply channel according to FIG. 2 in a view from above, and

[0030] FIG. 4 shows the glass melting plant according to the present invention according to FIG. 1, in a view from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] FIGS. 1 and 4 show a glass melting plant according to the present invention having a melt tank 1 and a conditioning channel 2 that is connected to the melt tank 1 via a passage 3. In the melt tank 1, the raw material batch, that is, the initial materials of the glass melt, are placed into melt tank 1 via a supply line 4. The raw material batch can, conventionally, contain primary raw materials and, if warranted, also glass shards. In the non-melted state, it forms a batch cover 11 on the surface of the glass melt 10 in the melt tank 1. Here, in the melt tank 1 the feed surface is mostly covered completely by the batch covering 11, in particular in the case shown here, in which the heating of the melt tank 1 takes place electrically in a known manner using melt electrodes 13 that extend laterally into the melt tank 1.

[0032] After the melting in the melt tank 1, the glass melt 10 passes through the passage 3 in the direction of flow (see arrows 8), and moves into the conditioning channel 2, where there takes place a controlled setting of the processing temperature of the glass melt 10 using electrodes 17 situated in the side wall of the conditioning channel 2, and/or using a burner 15 that is set up to burn gaseous fuels such as natural gas. The burner 15 is preferably situated in the end wall of conditioning channel 2, into which passage 3 opens. The glass melt 10 finally exits conditioning channel 2 via an outlet 6 for further processing.

[0033] In addition, the conditioning channel 2 is connected to a wet waste supply channel 20 that is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. The wet waste supply channel 20 opens into a side wall of the conditioning channel 2, transverse to the direction of flow (see arrows 8) of the glass melt 10.

[0034] In the wet waste supply channel 20, the wet waste is melted, so that there results a wet waste melt 10. The wet waste is introduced at the end 21 of the wet waste supply channel 20, which end is opposite the conditioning channel 2, by a supply device 23 that also has a conveyor device (e.g., a helical feeder). The conveyor device here can be made such that it permits adjustment of the conveyed quantity. In addition, a supply container is provided containing the preferably disintegrated wet waste. The wet waste is transported from the supply container to the wet waste supply channel 20 by the conveyor device. The fed, non-melted wet waste batch covers the surface of the wet waste melt 10 in a region 25.

[0035] The heating of the wet waste supply channel 20 takes place using electrodes 26, which extend into the wet waste supply channel 20 laterally, i.e., transverse to the direction of flow 27 of the wet waste melt 10. The electrodes 26 are situated at the end 21, opposite the conditioning channel 2, of the wet waste supply channel 20.

[0036] The wet waste supply channel 20 is further heated for the melting of the wet waste by a burner 32 that introduces gaseous fuel into the wet waste supply channel 20 perpendicular to the direction of flow (see arrow 27) of the wet waste melt 10.

[0037] During the heating of the wet waste there arise waste gases that result, in particular, due to combustion of the coating of the organically-based fibers. The waste gases flow in a direction indicated by arrows 28, and leave via a flue 30. The flue 30 is situated in the region of the end 22, at the conditioning channel, of the wet waste supply channel 20.

[0038] The combustion chamber of the wet waste supply channel 20 is also sealed in gas-tight fashion against the surrounding environment, and the waste gases are introduced via the flue 30 into an exhaust gas cleaning plant (not shown). The waste gas of the wet waste supply channel 20 is loaded with pollutants and dust that are filtered out by the waste gas cleaning plant. The pressure in the wet waste supply channel 20 over the wet waste melt 10, or in the conditioning channel 2 over the glass melt 10, is controlled by an induced draft fan standardly situated after the waste gas cleaning plant in the direction of flow of the waste gas (arrows 28).

[0039] The wet waste supply channel 20 further has, at its end 22 at the conditioning channel, a skimmer 35 that the seals wet waste supply channel 20 in a gas-tight fashion against the conditioning channel 2. The skimmer 35, which has the shape of a block, prevents surface glass from the wet waste melt 10 from entering directly into the conditioning channel 2. In addition, the skimmer 35 can hold back foam that forms during the melting of the wet waste from entering the glass melt 10 flowing in the conditioning channel 2.

[0040] The skimmer 35 is made of a corrosion-resistant, fire-resistant material that is also suitable for direct contact with the wet waste melt 10. Measured from the surface of the wet waste melt 10, the block extends at least 10 mm, preferably 15 mm to 20 mm, into this melt. The melt bath depth in the conditioning channel 2 and in the wet waste supply channel is preferably at least 80 mm, particularly preferably 100 mm to 250 mm. The skimmer 35 extends past the inner edge of the arch that upwardly terminates the conditioning channel 2 and also the wet waste supply channel 20, so that the skimmer block completely separates the two gas compartments from the supply channel and the conditioning channel. The two gas compartment covers abut this skimmer block. As a result, no gap can arise between the separated gas compartments that would permit an exchange of the respective atmospheres present in the gas compartments.

[0041] The glass melting plant according to the present invention, or the method according to the present invention, permit a simple and low-cost recovery of the wet waste without having any significant negative influence on the glass quality.

[0042] As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0043] 1 melt tank [0044] 2 conditioning channel [0045] 3 passage [0046] 4 supply device [0047] 6 outlet [0048] 8 direction of flow of glass melt 10 [0049] 10 glass melt [0050] 10 wet waste melt [0051] 11 batch cover [0052] 13 electrode [0053] 15 burner [0054] 17 electrode [0055] 20 wet waste supply channel [0056] 21 end of wet waste supply channel 20 situated opposite the conditioning channel [0057] 22 end of wet waste supply channel 20 at the conditioning channel side [0058] 23 supply device [0059] 25 region [0060] 26 electrode [0061] 27 direction of flow of the wet waste melt [0062] 28 direction of the waste gas flow [0063] 30 flue [0064] 32 burner [0065] 35 skimmer